BrucellinBM

Brucellosis is an endemic zoonosis present in much of the world, infecting domestic animals and affecting the production and international trade of livestock and their food products as well as causing disease in humans.

It is one of the paradigms of re-emerging disease that are a focus of the Horizon 2020 “Oneworldonehealth”, program, which calls for innovative diagnostic techniques to ensure food security and public health.

Aquilón is developing an intradermal reaction technique using a brucellar antigen (BrucellinaBM) based on the know-how of Dr. Ignacio Moriyón (University of Navarra) and Dr. Jose María Blasco (CITA, Aragón). For the first time, this method allows the discrimination of false positive results obtained with conventional techniques and makes it possible to properly and safely manage the dynamics of transport and replacement of pigs.

The disease is caused by a pestivirus and manifests itself in various clinical forms, from subclinical cases to acute cases that can lead to abortion, infertility, immunosuppression and, most dramatically, mucosal disease which is fatal. BVD causes significant economic losses in all countries with highly developed cattle industries.

The control of this important disease involves the detection and elimination of permanently infected (PI) calves, as well as ensuring farm biosecurity and vaccination of susceptible animals.

In collaboration with Dr. Enric Mateu of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Valladolid-based company VLPBio, Aquilón has started the development of a vaccine based on applied biotechnology (virus-like particles or VLPs). Designed to tackle this disease of global impact, it may be the definitive solution for protecting cattle against one of their greatest threats.

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